1856 H10C PR65 Cameo PCGS. CAC. No record was kept of proof
mintages in the years before the Mint began their official
offerings in 1858, but production totals were undoubtedly small.
Writing in 1989, Walter Breen estimated only 30-40 examples of the
1856 proof half dime were still extant, and some of them had been
mishandled. This well-detailed Gem is one of the few survivors with
cameo contrast, as the reflective fields and frosty devices provide
a startling black-on-white flash when the coin is tilted in the
light. Attractive accents of champagne-gold and ice-blue toning
enhance the well-preserved surfaces. Population: 1 in 65 Cameo, 0
finer (9/12).(Registry
values: P2) (PCGS# 84434)